Los Angeles – With the 2028 Paralympic Games only two years away, U.S. swimmer Ali Truwit believes that a strong home‑field advantage could enable American athletes to contest China’s long‑standing lead in the medal count. Truwit, who earned two silver medals in Paris after losing her lower left leg in a shark attack, said the enthusiasm of local fans can lift competitors to higher performance levels.
Home support as a competitive edge
“The excitement around a home Games is going to propel a lot of us to perform at a level higher than maybe we even know we have within us,” Truwit told Reuters. “I am an advocate for the power of support in sport and in life. It’s enough to really move the dial.”
China has topped the Paralympic medal table at every Summer Games since 2004, including the recent Paris edition where the United States placed third behind Great Britain. Truwit noted that competing on familiar California soil could help narrow that gap.
Funding challenges for U.S. Paralympians
Unlike many state‑subsidized sports programs abroad, U.S. athletes often rely on limited private funding. Reuters reported that 57 % of Team USA athletes still earn less than $50,000 a year, forcing many to hold multiple jobs to sustain their training. Paralympians also face higher medical expenses and receive less prize money than Olympians and professional athletes.
To address these gaps, Truwit’s nonprofit, Stronger Than You Think, is launching a Performance Incentive Fund at the upcoming Para Pan Pacific Championships in Walnut, California (August 28‑30). The fund will award financial bonuses to U.S. swimmers who reach the podium, including a $10,000 reward for breaking a world record.
Changing perceptions of disability
Beyond medals, Truwit sees the LA28 Paralympics as a catalyst for social change. “The Paralympics are so powerful as a vehicle to change perception of disability,” she said. “When you watch the elite athleticism at this level, it massively changes your mind on what you think about when you see someone with a disability.”
International Paralympic Committee President Andrew Parsons echoed this sentiment, noting that visibility of visually impaired sprinters, wheelchair rugby, and basketball players can help the public recognize the broader potential of people with disabilities when barriers in education, employment, and public life are removed.
Record‑setting Games on the horizon
The 2028 Paralympics are expected to host a record 4,480 athletes across 23 sports, including the debut of para‑climbing. Truwit, now a member of the LA28 Athletes’ Commission, is training up to five hours a day to remain in medal contention.
“LA28 holds massive potential,” she said. “It’s a really exciting time to continue growing this movement.”
Original reporting: Appleton, WI News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
